Polearms 147
could also be the result of an artistic tradition.265 The length of the spear shaft
compared to the length of the horse can be estimated to be around 5–6 m,266
around the same as the length of Byzantine ‘kontos’.267 Schematic representa-
tions of lances are also known from Inner Asian petroglyphs.268
Representations of Late Avar spears and lances were studied by Csanád Bálint
in connection with the image of the ‘victorious leader’ of the Nagyszentmiklós
treasure,269 the same subject also being addressed latterly by the Slovakian
scholar Martin Husár,270 while Gábor Fancsalszky studied the Late Avar belt-
mounts with human representations.271 The topic is well studied considering
its somewhat scarce sources, and therefore it will be discussed only briefly.
Only five representations of mounted warriors with lances are known from
the Late Avar period. The use of these representations for the study of weapon’s
history is problematic, however, since such art can follow its own logic and
traditional image types rather than necessarily reality. All of the known rep-
resentations are very small scale, the largest amongst them being only 6.8 cm
high,272 and they are therefore necessarily schematic.
Representation of a mounted warrior with lance in his left hand is known
from the cast strap-end from grave No. 71 at Komárno–Shipyard,273 the strap-
end is covered by flower motifs on a pointed background dated to the second
half of the 8th century by Jozef Zábojník.274 Similar representations are known
from grave ‘A’ of the cemetery of Balatonszőlős–TSz-istálló on cast disc-shaped
belt-mounts.275 The rider held a lance in his right hand, though it is hard to
decide if he is throwing a javelin or simply holds a lance in his hand. Most
265 As an analogy the representation of the so-called ‘victorious leader’ of the 2nd jar of the
‘Nagyszentmiklós’ hoard can be mentioned, where the representation of a stirrup is also
lacking (Bálint 2004a, 370), although the bottle is dated to the 8th century, when the use
of stirrups was common among the Avars.
266 According to the calculations of Uta von Freeden (1991, 622) the length of the spear is at
least twice as long as the length of the horse. The length of such lances was described by
Maurikios II 6, 11 (Dennis – Gamillscheg 1981, 123).
267 Kolias 1988, 192.
268 For the representations of Turkic mounted warriors see: Khudyakov 1986, 166–167;
Kubarev 2005, 108.
269 Bálint 2004a, 359–362.
270 Husár 2007, 29–41.
271 Fancsalszky 2007.
272 Bálint 2004a, 359.
273 Trugly 1987, tab. XV/8a.
274 Zábojník 1995, tab. III.
275 Németh 1969, 6–7. ábra.